Is Genesis's return this time gonna work?

Busy April

As Hyundai Motor's high-end brand GENESIS, it can be said to have earned enough public attention in April. 

First, on April 2nd, the brand night conference was held on the Huangpu River in Shanghai, and the world record-breaking method was used to light up the brand LOGO under the night through 3281 drones, which also announced the brand’s re-entry Chinese market. Why is it "again"? We will talk about it later.

A week later, the Genesis House in Shanghai officially opened. This modern building covering an area of more than 1,300 square meters and a total of two floors adds a noble atmosphere to the original bustling and noisy area, with a large area of green and white. The neon display board and the huge brand LOGO are enough to focus the attention of passers-by at night. Different from the traditional city showrooms of other cars, the first floor of the Genises House is decorated simply, and the overall internal atmosphere is very comfortable. Among them, the layout of the four exhibition cars (two G80 and two GV80) is not rushed. The design features of "Blank" promoted in its products are similar in different ways. 

The second floor has not been officially opened to the public, but what can be revealed in advance is that it will be used as a high-end Korean restaurant and bar for general consumers to enjoy. According to the person in charge of the brand, this operating model is different from traditional showrooms. Although the first and second floors belong to the Genesis House, it does not mean that you can enjoy the food upstairs only by watching and choosing the car. Each floor will be open to the outside world. Even if you don't watch the car, it's okay to simply satisfy your taste buds.

On April 19, at the 19th Shanghai Auto Show, Genesis officially brought its products to meet the world. I believe that many of my friends have seen the G80 and GV80 up close in relevant media reports or at the auto show.

On April 29th, the author was invited to have a brief experience of Genisese’s new products G80 and GV80. At present, these two models are in the pre-sale period. The pre-sale price range of G80 is between 363,800 yuan and 436,800 yuan. The selling price range is between RMB 576,800 and RMB 668,800. It is expected that it will be officially delivered to consumers in the fourth quarter of this year, and its official price will also be announced at that time.

Who is Genesis?

Before briefly describing the product experience, I still want to take a look at the history of the brand. On April 4, 2007, the Genesis four-door concept car made its world premiere at the New York Auto Show. This model that combines the future design of Hyundai Group and the luxury quality of rear-drive sports is planned to be assembled in the Hyundai family product camp. Then at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Hyundai exhibited a mass-produced four-door sports sedan, which was sold in the US market in the summer of the same year. Three power models of 3.3L, 3.8L, and 4.6L were provided that year. Consumers locked its target models to the Chrysler 300 and Pontiac G8, while Hyundai locked its competitors in the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Lexus GS. It can be seen that the hope that Hyundai places on it is to create a new era of modern automobiles through this model.

Friends who have an impression of the models at the time may be divided into three categories: First, fans of Korean dramas. Because this car frequently appeared in popular Korean dramas since then; secondly, people who often travel to Korea. In addition to Hyundai Elantra, Sonata, and Kia models, this model often appears on the streets of South Korea; the third is car fans. Around 2010, Genesis Coolpad was the best choice for rear-drive sports cars at the same price.

Although there were Genesis models at that time, Hyundai Motor did not operate it as an independent brand until November 2015 when Hyundai Group officially built it as a high-end brand. From 2014 to 2016, Genesis models equipped with 3.0L and 3.3L power systems were sold in China at prices ranging from RMB 378,000 to RMB 648,800, directly competed with the BMW 5 Series and Audi A6L.

This also answers the reason why "again" was used at the beginning of the article.

On August 4, 2017, Hyundai Motor submitted "Genesis" to the State Administration for Industry and Commerce to register its new brand name in China. Whether it’s hard work or fate, after a lapse of three and a half years, Genesis finally returned to the Chinese market in early April this year, and there was a series of follow-up actions for the "Busy April" mentioned above. 

Positioning

It is officially positioned as an international luxury car brand. The models are mainly sold in South Korea, North America, Australia and Russia. According to consumption habits and characteristics, I use the US market as a reference.

It can be seen that the two models of Genesis G80 and GV80 are basically in the same price range in the US market. While the pre-sale range of the G80 in China is within a reasonable range that is relatively the same as the US price, the pre-sale price of the GV80 is significantly higher. In response to this question, the author had a face-to-face consultation with the relevant person in charge of Genesis, and the answer was that the two models were formulated based on the differentiation of the domestic market positioning, and could not fully refer to the US market.

Of course, the answer to this official language is also in my expectation. After all, the domestic high-end car market is different from the overseas market. There are big differences from the age of the consumer group to the starting point of car selection. Take the European and American markets as an example. The consumer group of high-end luxury cars is between 55 and 57 years old, while the average age of the main consumer group of this level in the Chinese market is 35 years old, 20 years younger. If calculated based on the current actual situation, there is a huge difference in consumption.

The author believes that it is precisely because of the differences that the Chinese market has more consumer choices, younger age groups, and lower brand loyalty than before. If a new product wants to stand out, it must first maintain its global uniformity as much as possible. It is too important for the new product to "get off to a good start."

Who are the competitors of G80 and GV80?

G80 competes with cars in the same class

The G80 competes with Cadillac CT5/CT6. The CT5 has a wheelbase of less than 3 meters, is 71mm shorter than the G80, and has a power of 2.0T. It is positioned as a medium-sized car. CT6 is positioned as a medium-to-large car and belongs to the same level as G80. The length of the car is 28mm and the wheelbase is 99mm long. This is the advantage of CT6, but the vehicle is equipped with a 2.0T engine, and the power and torque are significantly weaker than G80. In addition, both CT5 and CT6 are rear-wheel drive vehicles, and the G80 is available in rear-wheel drive and full-time four-wheel drive versions.

The G80 competes with the Lexus ES300h. The overall size of the car is a lap larger than the ES. The car is 20mm long and the wheelbase is 140mm long. This advantage is too obvious. In addition, the two cars are equipped with 2.5-liter engines, but the Lexus ES uses hybrid technology, while the G80 uses 2.5T supercharging technology. The power performance and torque output are both the G80's leading, and the G80 also has a clear advantage in price.

The G80 competes with the Volvo S90. Both cars are positioned as medium and large sedans. The S90 has advantages in length and wheelbase, but the G80 has obvious advantages in power output and drive form, and also has certain advantages in terms of price.

GV80 competes with SUVs of the same level

Compared with Lexus RX (Lexus 450h four-wheel drive high configuration), GV80 surpasses the overall vehicle size and overall performance, and the price also has a competitive advantage. If compared with the 2.0T model, it also has advantages in size, power, and price.

Compared with Cadillac XT6, GV80 has an advantage in length, but the wheelbase GV80 has a clear advantage. Compared with the 2.0T engine of the standard XT6, the GV80 has obvious advantages in power and torque; however, the entire XT6 series is equipped with 48V light hybrid technology, and the brand effect has a clear advantage in the North American market.

The B6 model of Volvo XC90 can be tied with GV80. The XC90 is slightly better in terms of length and wheelbase, and is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged + supercharged power system, which can be basically the same as the 2.5T engine of the GV80. For entry-level models, Volvo's terminal price is the same as GV80, but the overall brand recognition Volvo is superior.

Comparing the sales of the corresponding models of the three brands of Genesis, Lexus and Volvo in the United States in the past two years may provide some reference for Genesis's future development in China.

For the Genesis brand, American consumers prefer cars, and the sales of G80 are relatively high. For Lexus and Volvo, American consumers prefer SUV models.

Based on the current pre-sale prices of new cars announced in China, the author boldly predicts that the G80 will receive relatively high attention, because its design is more brand-specific, the personality label is more obvious, and the price is relatively reasonable. If the price of the GV80 is not adjusted when it is officially delivered, frankly speaking, its probability of success will be relatively small, because the first-line and second-line luxury SUVs of about 600,000 yuan are selected from the traditional car brands, and there are many options.

Logo

The two raised longitudinal lines on the front hatch are like the flight marks left by the double-wing LOGO. The detail treatment has both aesthetic considerations and aerodynamic requirements.

Brand characteristics

"Parallel Double Glory" two-line design elements run through the entire car, headlights, side lights and taillights are more recognizable at night.

Dynamic Duck Tail

The duck tail that matches the streamlined body line takes into account the dual requirements of beauty and performance, showing its movement and elegance between dynamics and statics.

Diamond matrix

Echoing the large number of rhombic matrixes used in the front grille, the detailed use of rhombic elements in the dual-line taillight group creates the high-end temperament of the G80.

Athletic feature

Matched with the strong power of 2.5T + SAT, low profile + short front overhang + side sports lines, the G80's overall shape is in line with the positioning of a medium and large sports coupe.

Blank

The interior design is inspired by Korean architecture, highlighting the protagonist, thus achieving a balance between the personal space and the front.

Security configuration

The 12.3-inch instrument panel is equipped with a naked eye 3D effect; when the turn signal is turned on, the two instruments will display the rear image in the corresponding dial according to the corresponding direction in real time to ensure driving safety.

High-end accessories

The high-end models are assembled with solid wood veneers, which is in line with the interpretation of high-end quality in Asian culture. Appropriate metal rhombus elements are matched with it to create the right atmosphere.

Locomotive system

The 14.5-inch ultra-large wide-format infotainment LCD touch screen has excellent operating smoothness; but the overall operating logic is too traditional and the function points are buried too deeply, making it difficult to get started.

Comfortable seat

The comfort and luxury of Nappa leather seats are in line with the positioning of high-end models. Touch the seat adjustment button with your finger, and it will be displayed on the central LCD screen in real time, allowing the operator to see the corresponding function keys at a glance.

Power unit

The 8-speed automatic transmission ensures the smooth output of 304 horsepower/422 Nm of strong power. Comfort, Sports, Energy Saving, and Customize, four driving modes are available for the driver to adjust at any time.

Summary: Face up to shortcomings and seize development opportunities

Korean products have been criticized by consumers for their low value retention rate and low quality, and should be improved on Genesis. Genesis, which is positioned as a high-end brand, has indeed made great efforts in the core competitiveness of its products. Both the actual performance of the power performance and the comfort configuration have been significantly improved. According to the person in charge of the brand, through the brand-new "direct store plus online" business model, to provide a people-oriented, convenient, honest and transparent worry-free experience. In the future, price insurance policies and related second-hand car business may be introduced, so as to gradually Improve pre-sales and after-sales consumption scenarios. In May, the second "Genesis House" in Chengdu will also officially open. In the future, "Genesis House" will be deployed in more cities to provide consumers with a better car experience.

Genesis needs to be well prepared to gain a foothold and develop in the Chinese market. The first thing that needs to be solved is the problem of brand recognition, especially in the context of the current transformation of the automotive industry. In difficult days, there is capital to talk about success or failure.